Dead Sea Concession Has Not Yet Been Granted: 4 Groups Seek Franchise

The reports which have appeared recently in the Jewish and general press to the effect that the Colonial Office has granted a concession for the exploitation of the Dead Sea are partly premature and partly based on inaccurate information, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency here learns.

The Jewish Telegraphic Agency is able to state the correct facts concerning the plans now under consideration by the Colonial Office and the present position of the matter.

Four groups have submitted to the Colonial Office for consideration definite technical and financial schemes for the exploitation of the Dead Sea salts with a request that they should be granted a concession. These are: W. H. Tottie, banker, representing an English group: Major D. Henry, mining engineer, and Mr. Edwards, representing an Australian group; Professor Thomas Norton, an eminent American chemist, representing an American group, and M. Novomeysky, mining engineer of Palestine and Major T. G. Tulloch, civil engineer of London, represening an Anglo-Palestine group.

An article appeared in the Financial Times some time ago written by its travelling correspondent on his visit to Palestine, stating that the concession has been granted by Lord Plumer, the High Commissioner for Palestine, to the fourth group, but no official confirmation of this statement is available.

The Jewish Telegraphic Agency understands that the present position is that the prospective concessionaires and the government have reached an agreement in principle but certain questions have to be cleared up before the matter is definitely settled.

The various statements on the subject which continue to appear in the press, including the suggestions that there are other applicants for the concession, in addition to those mentioned, are not correct.